Love and Joy
by Dantai
Summary: A fun little story based of the Incinerator Nat 19 campaign


In a small church in Personico, a blonde woman sat kneeling before a statue of Christ, a rosary clasped in her hands. Her eyes were closed as she prayed, and the room was bathed in the soft Sunday light streaming in through the stained glass nativity scene behind her. As she prays she hears the sound of heavy footsteps approaching her. Slowly she reached down to the mace resting in front of her and right as the footsteps are right behind her she springs into action. Grabbing the mace she launches from her kneeling position and swings to the source of the noise, only to find a red scaled Dragonborn looking confused as he claps his claws around the head of the mace, stopping the attack.

"Darius what are you doing here?!" The blonde woman says confused and worried.

"Well I got bored and I wanted to come see you Maple Syrup." The Dragonborn says causing the woman to blush.

"Ah Darius that's so sweet but you know that if you are seen you will be…. What is that smell?" Maple starts to scald her boyfriend before a foul scent fills her nose.

"Ah yeah that, well I can't go walken around like you were sayin, but I can swim really well, and there is a manhole behind the church." He says as he points to what Maple hopes are muddy footprints and not something more disgusting.

"Ah Darius that is so sweet of you but we should probably go home before the Father gets back." She says ignoring the footprints and the stench.

"Ok Maple, I should take the sewers back home." Darius says happily his long red tail swiping happily along the floor much like a dog.

"Ok and when you get home you have to wash yourself, under your scales too." Maple says as she pushes the large Dragonborn towards the back door.

"I will I will, after that I can make food for all of use." He say happily causing Maple to stop in her tracks.

"Wait what do you mean all of us?" She asks.

"Cynder is visiting with her little ones." Darius says happily as his maw splits into a smile. Taking a second to process what she just heard Maple's face splits into a smile that reaches her ears and she screeches in excitement.

"That is amazing I can't wait to meet them, have you meet them, are they cute, of course they are they are Cynder's and…" She gushes before stopping as her mind turns to Ellis. Looking down sullenly she gives a small prayer for him before perking up at the thought of seeing Cynder and her kids again.

"They are cute hatchlings," Darius says with a goofy grin, "anyway I need to get going if I am going to meet you at the house I will see you there." he continues as he starts walking to the back door.

Peeking out of the door the ex gladiator checks to make sure no one is around before rushing out and down a manhole. Once Maple is sure no one has seen Darius enter the sewers she closes the back door and heads back to her prayer spot. Taking up her mace and her rosary she hides them in her dress and puts on her cloak to conceal her armor and starts her walk back home. The walk to the outskirts of Personico isn't a long one but it is quiet, and that gives Maple plenty of time to think. The sun was barely reaching its crest in the midday sky as she began her walk, and the warmth of the sun rays made the cleric sight happily. She was excited to see her friend again, and meeting Cynder's children was an exciting prospect. Giddy with anticipation she starts walking faster, nearly jogging really, and she only slows down when she sees the cabin that has been acting as her home with Darius for the past few days. Walking up to the door Maple smiles wide as she throws it open and is with excited squeals and joyous laughter

"Ah Maple your back." The Tiefling mage says with a smile as she looks towards something Maple can't see.

"Hey Cynder it is so good to see you." She says as she hugs Cynder tightly. Stepping back she looks towards the source of the squealing to see two small Tiefling babies holding onto Darius as he stomps around the living room like a pretend dragon.

"You too Maple, it seems Ember and Eli are having fun huh?" Cynder asks with a giggle.

"Raaarrrrrrrr! I am the Dragon Darius you will never defeat me." He yells as the twins cling onto his back, and giggling happily.

"Yes it does, honestly I'm not surprised that they like Darius," Maple says as she laughs at her loves antics before returning her attention to Cynder, "So what brings you to Personico?"

"I wanted to visit my friends, and the ragamuffins wanted to visit their Aunt and Uncle." Cynder says with mirth as her twins continue to climb on Darius. Maple laughs with her friend before walking to the kitchen and pulling down a few wine glasses and a deep green bottle.

"So where are you staying?" Maple asks as she searches for a cork opener.

"I haven't figured yet, I'll probably get a hotel room down in the town." She says as she takes the bottle from her cleric friend and rips the cork from the bottle with her tail.

"Oh no, nuh-uh you are not paying to come see us we have plenty of empty rooms here." Darius says as he lifts a giggling Eli into the air over his head.

"He's right Cynder we have plenty of room here so you might as stay with us besides that give me more time with my Niece and Nephew." Maple says as she hands her wild mage friend a glass and goes to pluck Ember off of Darius's back.

"Only if it's not an imposition, and let me make you both some dinner tonight, you know as payment." She says as her already red cheeks darken. Maple and Darius happily agree, and the night passes in a blur of laughter and joy. When the twins fall asleep, all their energy depleted from their fun, Cynder, Maple, and Darius sit down in the living room content smiles on their faces.

"It is so good to have you over Cynder." Maple says as she sips her wine.

"Yeah it is, but I didn't just come to visit." Cynder says her smile falling for a second.

"Is something wrong?" Darius asks concerned.

"No, not wrong but… I am going to need a place to stay for a while, longer than a few days." She says with a sigh.

"What happened to your place, is everything okay?" Maple asks as she sips her wine.

"Not really, some fanatical demon hunters found me and they believe, because I am a Tiefling, that it is their duty to kill me. I didn't want to fight with the kids so close so I packed up all our stuff into a bag of holding and came to the first place I could think of." She explains with a shaked breath.

"Well your welcome to stay here, and if they come knocking I still have the warhammer." Maple says as she points to the old warhammer and twin scimitars hanging above the fireplace, a growl escaping her lips as sparks of electricity fling from her hair and eyes to her arms. Cynder sighs and smiles as she gets up to hug Maple and Darius.

"Thank you so much, it has been a long day and I need sleep." She says as she steps back, tears threatening to spill over. Maple nods and hugs her tightly before leading her to the guest bedroom. While she is doing that Darius stands up and walks over to the fireplace. Taking down one of the scimitars he gives it a few test swings. Looking to the window he thinks for a minute before putting it back and heading to bed.

AN

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Chapter 1 of a new story based off the Nat 19 Incinerator story line. This will be updated on the same schedule as _Isla Does What She Wants _and _Fire and Water. _Enjoy it my friends have a good day.


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